Flooring installation direction

[atgcpaul]

I asked in a separate thread about LVP flooring.  The house is a split level with 3 bedrooms upstairs.  The carpet on the stairs, bedrooms, and closet will be replaced with LVP (maybe engineered or even hardwood as my wife is moving up the delivery of my tools).

The walls aren't all in the right location (like that mystery void above the stairs), but good enough.  What direction do I run the flooring in the hallway (beige) so that corner where the 2 bedrooms meet isn't odd looking or a nightmare to install?  I can 1) weave the boards, 2) join them at 45deg, or 3) dead end one into the other.  Are there other scenarios?

I definitely don't want a transition strip that sits above the level of the floor, but that seems to rule out LVP and probably engineered since they are already thin.

I believe the floor joists run left to right relative to this picture.  I'd rather not add a 1/2" sheet of plywood over all the floors, and while I can access the basement ceiling below, I'd have to remove a lot of acoustic tiles to add bracing.  That would be better than adding floor height, though.

   

I like this look where one board is laid on the diagonal and the other boards run into it.  The diagonal board would have a groove on both edges and I'd have to cut the mating boards to the same angle, and mill the mating tongue.  Do I then create a problem because these boards are trapped where they meet the stairs or bedrooms but can't expand lengthwise?

   

Thanks,
Paul

[Willyou]

I like what you propose. I also like the weave idea. I don't know how much the product expands and contracts, but seeing how it's made, I wouldn't expect much.

[atgcpaul]

My wife has her own ideas.  I added beds into the picture and she wants all the flooring running towards the beds--I guess this is how designers do it.  The floor in the hallway to the master bedroom would also run side to side which I find odd, but she's good with it.  It would make installation easier, though.

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[MstrCarpenter]

If I was putting down hardwood (or something with a photo of hardwood on it) I would run it across the joists. Because; well that's the way it was always done. I wouldn't change direction in the hall because I like to see the flooring the same direction as the treads if there's a choice. The top nosing is the first floor board.

[jteneyck]

If I was putting down hardwood (or something with a photo of hardwood on it) I would run it across the joists. Because; well that's the way it was always done. I wouldn't change direction in the hall because I like to see the flooring the same direction as the treads if there's a choice. The top nosing is the first floor board.

Same here.  If there is no subfloor then you don't have much choice.  But it sounds like there must be something over the joists or you wouldn't be asking.  If that's the case, I'd go with the flooring parallel with the stairs, and then do a T&G butt joint at the threshold to the bedrooms if your wife wants the direction in them to run the other way.  

John

[MstrCarpenter]

Same here.  If there is no subfloor then you don't have much choice.  But it sounds like there must be something over the joists or you wouldn't be asking.  If that's the case, I'd go with the flooring parallel with the stairs, and then do a T&G butt joint at the threshold to the bedrooms if your wife wants the direction in them to run the other way.  

John

If I have to change direction of hardwood flooring at a doorway The tongue and groove butt joint is the correct way. The tongue is on the factory ends, even if you need to have a plank with two grooves at the doorway. Your house has doorways at both ends on the hall so you'll be doing a lot of dry fitting at one of them. Laminate flooring like Pergo has a metal channel that a transition strip fit into. They're low profile but they also break too easily.

[Snipe Hunter]

I'd run it all in 1 direction throughout. Just a better looking install. If using a laminate or vinyl plank (or even wood), you could do a basket weave joint at the corner and avoid a transition strip and avoid cutting 45s on the plank ends, which I think would look cheesy. But to do a good looking basket weave joint, you have to start the floor at that 90 degree turn in the hallway.

[brianwelch]

I'd run it all in 1 direction throughout. Just a better looking install. If using a laminate or vinyl plank (or even wood), you could do a basket weave joint at the corner and avoid a transition strip and avoid cutting 45s on the plank ends, which I think would look cheesy. But to do a good looking basket weave joint, you have to start the floor at that 90 degree turn in the hallway.

I think the basket weave is an excellent suggestion...